Spacer device for insulating glass windows

ABSTRACT

A spacer device for insulating glass windows ( 50 ) includes a tubular element ( 1 ), having side walls ( 11 ) fit to mate, in an assembled condition (A) of the glass window ( 50 ), respective glass plates ( 3 ) and having external ( 12 ) and internal ( 13 ) walls with respect to the glass window ( 50 ). The spacer device ( 100 ) further includes: coating means ( 6 ) fixed at least to a longitudinal portion of the tubular element ( 1 ); at least a longitudinal portion ( 8 ) of each side wall ( 11 ) adjacent to the external wall ( 12 ) without the coating means ( 6 ); gasket means ( 4 ) fit to be interposed, in the assembled condition (A), between a plate ( 3 ) and the longitudinal portion ( 8 ) of the respective side wall ( 11 ), adhering at least on said plate ( 3 ) and portion ( 8 ). The side walls ( 11 ) of each tubular element ( 1 ) are convergent.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to glass windows in building trade and particularly refers to a spacer device for insulating glass windows.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] There are known spacers fit to separate and to space glass plates for glass windows and made of sheet of metallic material. The main drawback of such known spacers consists in that the good thermal conductivity of said material, cause thermal dispersions increasing the conductivity between said plates.

[0003] There are also known spacers made of PVC, or plastic, which however have the drawback of not allowing the perfect adhesion of sealing agents and/or adhesives and therefore not assuring a sufficient mechanical seal with the plates of the glass windows.

[0004] The known spacers, because of the wide contacting surface between the plates and the spacers, have the further drawback of providing an insufficient acoustic insulation.

[0005] Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,258 refers to a spacer device for insulating glass windows including a tubular element having side walls fit to mate, in an assembled condition of the glass window, related glass plates and having external and internal walls with respect to the glass window. The spacer device includes: coating means fixed at least to a longitudinal portion of the tubular element; at least a longitudinal portion of each side wall adjacent to the external wall without the coating means; gasket means fit to be interposed, in the assembled condition, between a plate and the longitudinal portion of the related side wall, adhering at least to said plate and portion.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The main object of the present invention is to propose a spacer device fit to guarantee the fixing mechanical seal of the glass window plates and to guarantee a high thermal insulation.

[0007] Further object is to provide a device fit for endowing the glass window with high characteristics of acoustic insulation.

[0008] Other object is to propose a device suitable to guarantee an accurate perimetrical waterproofing and sealing of the glass windows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The characteristics of the invention are underlined in the following with particular reference with the attached drawings, in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 shows a schematic transversal section view of a tubular element of the device object of the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 shows a schematic section view of the device object of the present invention interposed between two plates of glass.

[0012]FIG. 3 shows a section view of the FIG. 2 device in an assembled condition of an insulating glass windows;

[0013]FIGS. 4 and 5 show respectively a schematically plan view and a transversal section view of a variant of the tubular element of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0014] In the FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the numeral 100 indicates the spacer device for insulating glass windows or doors 50, including a tubular element 1, coating means 6, gasket means 4 and sealing means 5.

[0015] The tubular element 1 has side walls 11, an external wall 12 and an internal wall 13.

[0016] In an assembled condition A of the glass window 50, the side walls 11 mate the face side edges of respective glass plates 3 of said glass window 50.

[0017] In the assembled condition A, the walls external 12 and internal 13 are respectively outwards and inwards oriented with respect to the glass window 50.

[0018] The coating means 6 consist of two strips 2 made of a PVC sheet, each one fixed to a longitudinal portion of a respective side wall 11 of the tubular element 1 by means of acrylic adhesive or hot polyurethan glue.

[0019] Each side wall 11, has a longitudinal portion 8 adjacent to the external wall 12 and without the coating means 6 in such a way to leave uncoated the metallic material of the tubular element 1.

[0020] The gasket means 4 consist of a butyl waterproofing bead fixed to each side wall 11. In the assembled condition A, each bead is interposed between the respective plate 3 and the longitudinal portion 8 of the respective side wall 11 and sticks on the plate 3 and on the portion 8, by means of pressure and/or heating.

[0021] The sealing means 5 are made of polyurethane, polysulphide or in mono or bi-component silicone hot or cold applied.

[0022] In the assembled condition A, the sealing means 5 stick on the external wall 12 and on the edges of the plates 3.

[0023] The side walls 11 of each tubular element 1 are convergent and, in the assembled condition A, the side walls 11 of each tubular element 1 converge toward the outside of the glass door 50 with an angle B ranging between 0.5° e 10°. Then the transversal section has approximately the shape of an isosceles trapezoid in which the bigger and smaller bases are constituted respectively by the internal wall 13 and the external wall 12.

[0024] The tubular element 1 is carried out by a metallic band of aluminum or aluminum alloys, to which the coating means 6 are fixed and which is later bent and longitudinally welded so achieving the final tubular shape.

[0025] The portion of the band corresponding to the internal wall 13 and also this latter, have a plurality of through holes 7, carried out before folding the band.

[0026] In the variant of FIGS. 4 and 5 the coating means 6 are fixed to the side walls 11 and to the internal wall 13.

[0027] The portion of the coating means 6 corresponding to the internal wall 13 has the holes 7 carried out before folding and is decorated for reproducing wood or other material of the standing finish.

[0028] The edges of the tubular element 1 defined by the external wall 12 and by the side walls 11 have respective concave chamfers fit to receive part of the material of the gasket means 4 and/or of the sealing means 5, in the assembled condition A.

[0029] The interposition of the coating means 6 and of the gasket means 4 between the glass plates and the tubular element 1 advantageously reduces the thermal dispersions. The fixing of said gasket means 4 directly to the metal of the tubular element, in correspondence of the longitudinal portion 8 without the coating means 6, advantageously assures a good mechanical sealing of the device with the plates 3.

[0030] The inclination of the side walls 11 increases the average distance between these last and the plates 3, advantageously increasing the acoustic and thermal insulation of the glass window. Furthermore such inclination increases the stress strength of the glass window, such stress being due to the variations of temperature and atmospheric pressure and transmitted by the plates 3 to the device 1.

[0031] The sealing means 5 in association with the gasket means 4 advantageously guarantee an accurate waterproofing, sealing and fixing of the plates 3 of the glass door.

[0032] The holes 7 allow the passage of the air, or other gases, sealed between the plates, inside the tubular elements 1 enabling hygroscopic material contained therein. to advantageously absorb the humidity of said air or gas. 

1) Spacer device for insulating glass windows (50), including a tubular element (1), having side walls (11) fit to mate, in an assembled condition (A) of the glass window (50), related glass plates (3) and having external (12) and internal (13) walls with respect to the glass window (50), said spacer device (100) includes: coating means (6) fixed at least to a longitudinal portion of the tubular element (1); at least a longitudinal portion (8) of each side wall (11) adjacent to the external wall (12) without the coating means (6); gasket means (4) fit to be interposed, in the assembled condition (A), between a plate (3) and the longitudinal portion (8) of the related side wall (11), adhering at least to said plate (3) and portion (8); said spacer device being characterized in that in the assembled condition (A) the side walls (11) of each tubular element (1) converge outwards with respect to the glass door (50) with an angle (B) ranging between 0.5° and 10°; the coating means being fixed to the side walls (11) and to the internal wall (13); the gasket means (4) consisting of a waterproofing butyl bead (4) fixed to each side wall (11). 2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the coating means (6) substantially consists of strips (2) fixed to the side walls (11). 3) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that further includes sealing means (5) adherent to the external wall (12) and to the plates (3) in the assembled condition (A). 4) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the coating means (6) consist of a PVC sheet fixed to the tubular element (1) by means of acrylic adhesive or hot polyurethan glue. 5) Device according to claim 3 characterized in that the sealing means (5) are made of polyurethane, polysulphide, mono or bi-component silicon, hot or cold applied. 6) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the coating means (6) are decorated. 7) Method to carry out a device according to any of the preceding claims according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the tubular element (1) is carried out by a bent and welded metallic band and in that the coating means (6) are fixed to said band before folding this latter. 8) Method according to claim 7 characterized in that the internal wall (13) of the tubular element (1) and the respective portion of the coating means (6) have a plurality of through holes (7) carried out before the folding. 